Background: From April 2013, Macintosh direct laryngoscopes (DL) were replaced by McGRATH® MAC video laryngoscopes (VL), and VL were distributed in all of our operating rooms and used as routine first choice devices. Purpose of this study was to compare the success rate of the first attempt tracheal intubation by the trainees with VL and DL. Incidence of tracheal intubation related injuries were also assessed.
Materials and methods: We reviewed anesthesia chart database in which tracheal intubations were provided by anesthesia trainees with experience of less than 3 months. Patient demographics, Mallampati classification and tracheal intubation profiles including type of the tracheal tube and devices were recorded.
Results and discussion: The first attempt success rate was 78.6% with DL and 92.8% with VL (P < 0.001). More than 2 repeated trial incidence was 5.2% with DL and 1.3% with VL (P < 0.001). Incidence of mucosal injury was lower with DL than VL.
Conclusions: VL notably improved the first success rate of tracheal intubation compared with DL among trainees.